This invention relates to a hand operated pipe bender. More specifically this invention relates to a hand operated precision degree pipe bender.
There are two types of hand operated pipe benders. These are the Hicky bender and the Bender Head Shoe Bender. The Bender Head is constructed of a mold casting of aluminum or iron.
There are two ways to use the Hicky and Bender Head pipe benders. One is the floor bend method in that the pipe being bent is laid on a flat surface and the hands and a foot are used as the purchase power to bend the pipe. The other method of pipe bending is referred to as air bending. In air bending the outer end of the bender handle is rested on a surface with the bender head in the air. The pipe is held by the hands and pulled into the bender shoe to the angle desired.
The air bending method will be used with this invention to make degree bends.
There are bender shoe heads using such methods as raised rib degree lines on the sides of the bender head. Other hand benders have arrows or level vials as degree indications. Time is lost using rifle style aim sightings of degree lines or adjusting to a level vial.
A faster method of degree indication is needful. This invention provides the means for instant degree indication as well as a precision bend.
In the present used hand benders there is over and under bending, hence adjustment must be made loosing time.
This invention makes precision bends quickly without wows on saddle or sweep bends. In saddle bending the wows are referred to as doglegs that have to be corrected wasting time.
There is no provision for the making of concentric or ⅜th inch box offset bends on the hicky or bender head in use. Box off sets are the ⅜th off-sets at the ends of each pipe run entering an electrical housing, such as a junction box for electrical wiring.